Electrotherapeutic instrument.



No. 870,927. PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907. B. Y. BOYD.

ELECTROTHERAPBUTIG INSTRUMENT.

urmoumn FILED 11.10. 1907.

BENJAMIN Y. BOYD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELEQTROTHERAPEUTIC INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1907.

Application filed January 18. 1907. Serial No. 352.849.

To all whom it may concern:

a Be it known that I, BENJAMIN Y. Born, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrotherapeutic Instruments, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to instruments for treating the mucous cavities of the body, and, in the form shown, consists of an induction coil and a galvanic battery with suitable electrodes. In some respects my invention is independent of the induction coil, and may be embodied in a structure in which it is omitted and the galvanic current alone is provided for.

To illustrate my invention, I annex hereto a sheet of drawings, in which the same reference characters are I used to designate identical parts in all the figures, of

which,-

Figure l is an elevation'of my complete apparatus in its preferred form, with the electrical circuits diagrammatically indicated thereon in dotted lines, and with the shading and insulating omitted so as not to interfere with the showing of the circuits; Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the stem and casing, the battery and induction coil, and their connections, the battery and coil however, being shown in elevation; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the induction coil, removed from the casing and shown at another angle; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line A-A of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line BB of Fig. 2.

The battery 10 may be of any desired form, but preferably takes the form of a dry cell having one pole at the contact 11 at one end, and the other pole" at the contact 12 at the other end. It is preferably coated with a layer of insulating material so as to prevent the possibility of connecting the two metallic conducting strips 13 and 14 which extend the length of the cylindrical casing, and which are secured to the interior surface thereof at a suitable distance apart in any desired manner, preferably by dovetailing them therein. This cylindrical casing 15 is composed of some insulating material, such as hard rubber, and is used as the handle of the apparatus. At the upper end, this casing 15 is closed by a preferably metallic cap piece 16 screwed therein, the conical exposed surface of which I employ as one pole, where the split electrode construction is employed. This cap piece 16 is provided with a tubuthe threaded end of said member, and is electrically connected with the metallic pole piece or electrode 25 which is screwed onto the member 19, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, in any suitable manner, as by removing the insulation and bending over the end so that it will be caught between the body of the pole cap piece 25 and the end of the member 19. Another electrode 26, of the same polarity as the cap 16, is formed by the substantially semicircular cap having the threaded stem 27 screwed into the interiorly-threaded end 28 of the extension 17. These electrodes 25 and 26 are preferably of the shape and relative location shown. for the purpose of easy insertion and for securing the contact at the desired spots relative to certain nerve centers adapted to be affected by the current.

The contact piece 21 is provided with a plunger contact 29, which, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, is yieldingly mounted transversely in the lower end of the piece 21, a

the helically-coiled expandingspring 30 being interposed between the shoulder of the plunger and the piece 21. This serves to hold the plunger yieldingly in contact with the conducting strip 13. The cap piece 16 has projecting downwardly therefrom the spring contact member 31, which is in engagement with the conducting strip 14 when the cap .16 is screwed into the proper position, which is indicated by the line 32 on the cap 16 coming into register with the line marked on of the two lines 33 on the exterior of the cylinder 15,.the other line 33 being marked off. The other pole 12 of the battery 10 rests against the U-shaped spring contact piece 34 secured to the rigid U-shaped connection 35 fast on the top of the induction coil 36 and electrically connected with the core 37. The spring contact piece 34 is employed to insure the battery being pressed in engagement with the contact piece 21 at the other end thereof. The induction coil 36 also has secured on the base of the U-shaped connection 35 the post 38, upon which is secured the end of the spiral leaf spring 39, the central free end of which carries the armature 40, which is adapted to be drawn into contact with the end of the pole piece 37 when the circuit is closed in'the manner to be hereinafter described. This spiral vibrator constitutes an important part of my invention, as by its use I am enabled to obtain the necessary resilience from the vibrating member carrying the armature without the necessity of using either a long straight spring, such as would ,be impracticable in the narrow cross section oi the casing, or a coiled contractile spring, which would also be inconvenient.

The contact strip 13 is adapted to engageiwith the contact spring 41, which is electrically connected through a wire, not shown, except in the diagram,

with one end of the primaryinduction coil- 52. bracket 42, which is insulated from the connections 35, is supportedup'on the top of the induction coil member 36 and is connected with the other end of the" primary co" 52. This bracket carries the. contact point 43, wh'ch is preferably formed on the end of a screw 44 adjustable in the bracket, and secured in the desired adjustment .b y the set nut 45. The induction coil is mounted on the cap 46, which is made of insulating material, preferably hard rubber, and which is provided with the threaded portion 47, by which the coil can-be screwed and secured in place in the casing 15. The line 48 on the cap is brought into register with the line 49, marked on on the casing, when the spring contact 41 is brought into. engagement with the conducting strip 13 and when a similar spring contact 50, also secured to the base of the induction coil, is brought in 'contact with the conducting strip 14. Another line, marked 51, is preierablyemployed, and

the line 48 is brought into register with this whens-the I connections are shifted to break the circuit and stop the operation of the apparatus. The contact 50 is connected with one end of the coil -of fine wire 59, which makes up the secondaryinduction coil, the other end of'sa'id wire being connected to the contact 41. A

sleeve of brass, surrounding the core 37, is preferably employed, and provided with the handle 53, by which it can be moved in and out to regulate the intensity of the current. i

The operation of the apparatus thus-described is as follows, reference beinghad especially to the diagrammatic showing of the wiring seen in Fig. 1: With the connections of the caps 16 and 46 in the on position on the casing '15, and with the spring contact 39 engaging the tip 43, the current from the battery passes from the connecting piece 21 through-the plunger 29, through the conducting strip 13,. through the contact 51, through the primary'contact 52, through the contact 43, through the spring 39, through the post 38, through the connection 35,'through the spring connection 34 to the terminal 120i the battery, thereby completing the circuit and energizing the electromagnet formed by the core 37- .and the coil 52, so, that the armature piece 40 secured thence by the .wire 22 to the connection 21, and thence through the plunger 29, thence through the conduct ing strip 13, through the contact spring 41 whichisconnected to the other end of the coil 59. The breaking of the primary circuit at thecontact 43 causes the armature 40' to be speedily released, and the spring 39- touches the contact, again completing the circuit 1 line 51, there is no possibility ona short circuit.

through the battery, and thus interrupted iaradic cur-' rent is caused to pass through the parts to be treated as long as the apparatus is in place. It will be apparent that when the instrument is not to be used, the cap 46. is rotated to the off position, so as'to break the circuit, and by bringing the line 48 into register withthe oi the battery being left The advantages of my instrument will be readily apparent to those skilled in electro-therapy. By it I provide the complete mechanism of a faradic battery in an insulating tube, which protects the elements thereof from injury, and also-from getting out of adjustment. If it is desired to reverse the polarity, the stem can be unscrewed, the cell taken out, reversed and replaced, without requiring any special technical skill or manual dexterity. The stem with its separated poles or electrodes is especially adapted to internal 1 treatment of the mucous cavities, and the bi-polar split electrode, where it is employed, gives a wide diffusion or concentration of the current, as may be desired. .Where the faradiccurrent is not desired, I

preferably omit' the induction coil and increase the number of elements in the battery, to thereby strengthen the galvanic current, and provide any desired switching connections for opening andClosing the circuit. v I

While. I have shown and described my invention as embodied in the form which I consider best adapted to carry out its purposes, it will be understood that it is capable of modification, and that I do not desire to be limited in the interpretation of the following claims except as may be necessitated by the state of the prior art. 4 1 I What I claim as new, and desire to secure. by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

' 1-. An electro therapeutic instrument comprising a galvanic battery, an insulating cylinder incloslng said battery and constituting a handle for the instrument by which it may be grasped without bringing the hand into the circuit, a stem adapted forlnsertion-in a mucous cavity of the body projecting from the cylinder having two poles, positive and negative, insulated from each other,

ment to complete the circuit, and suitable connections for transmitting current from the battery to the poles.

2. An-electro therapeutic instrument comprising a galyanlc battery, an' insulating cylinder incloslng said battery and forming a handle by which the instrument may be grasped without bringing the hand into. the circuit, a stem projecting from the cylinder and having three poles, one of different polarity from the other 'two, each insulated from the others, whereby the current must pass through air object of treatment to complete the clrcuit,-and suitable connections for transmitting current from the battery to the poles.

3. An electro-therapeutic instrument provided with a stem adapted for'insertlon in a mucous cavity of the body having a transverse member with the poles at eithei' end thereot insulated from each other, whereby the current must pass through an objector treatment to complete the circuit, and with means for supplying current to --said poles.

.4. An electro-therapehtlc instrument provided with a.

the base and the other-insulated therefrom, whereby the current must pass throughan object off-treatment to com;

; plete the circuit, and with means for supplying current to said poles.

5. In a device of the classdescribed, the combination with the stem provided with the plurality of poles, of the insulating casing to which it is attached forming a handle by which the instrument may be grasped without bringing the hand into the circuit, the cell in the casing having one terminal adjacent the stem, the induction coil adjacentthe other terminal, an interrupter, and suitable connections between said elements whereby a faradic current may be induced to pass between the poles and through the portion of the body being treated.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with the cylindrical insulating casing constituting a bandle by which the instrument may be grasped without bringing the hand into the circuit and provided with the stem at one end havingthe plurality of poles, of the cell in said casing, the induction coil also inclosed therein, the spiral spring interrupter-interposed between the cell and the induction coil, and suitable connections between said elements whereby a faradic current may be induced to pass between the poles and through the portion of the body being treated.

7. An electro-therapeuticinstrument comprising a galvanic battery, an insulating cylinder inclosing said battery, an insulating stem projecting from the cylinder and having an insulating portion at its end extending substantially transversely thereto, two poles, positive and negative, located at the ends of said transverse portion and insulated from each other, whereby the current must passthrough an object of treatment to complete the circult, and suitable connections for transmitting current from the battery to the poles.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with the cylindrical insulating casing forming a handle a by which the instrument may be grasped without bringing the hand, into the circuit or the stem carrying the plurality of electrodes at one end, the induction coil at the other end, the battery interposed between said stem and coil, suitable connections between said elements whereby a taradic current may be induced to pass between the, poles and through the portion of the body being treated, said connections including the strips 13 and 14 extending the length of the tube, and" adapted when the stem and induction coil are in the proper position to connect the electrodes with the induction coil terminals.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with the cylindrical insulating casing forming a handle by which the instrument may be grasped without bringing the hand into the circuit of the cap carrying the stem with the plurality of electrodes closing one end, the cap carrying the induction coil closing the other end, the cell interposed between the stem and the induction coil, and suitable connections between said elements whereby a faradic current may be induced to pass between the poles and through the portion of the body being treated, said connections including a yielding spring contact between the ends of the cell and an adjacent terminal of the induction coil apparatus.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination with the cylindrical insulating casing forming a handle by which the instrument may be grasped without bringing the hand into the circuit having one end closed by the cap carrying the stem provided with the plurality of poles, of the cap carrying the induction coil closing the other end, the cell in the casing having one terminal. adjacent the stem and the other adjacent the induction coil, an interrupter, and suitable connections between said .elements whereby a faradic current may be induced to pass through the poles and through the portion of the electrode for rectal insertion, consisting of the insulating stem and transverse portion, with the poles at the ends of said transverse portion, and suitable insulated connections to said poles.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and aifixed my seal, this 5th day of January, A. D. 1907.

BENJAMIN Y. BOYD. [n s.] Witnesses:

JOHN Howam) MCELROY, M. S. Batman. 

